At the top of my to-do list for the coming year: Moving past the 10-minute mark in my morning meditation.

I was corresponding with a friend the other day who shocked me with an astounding proclamation: Every item on her bucket list had been ticked off. Yes--she'd accomplished everything she'd ever wanted to do, and felt pretty good about the state of things. Content. No complaints. No itch for more.

What?! How is that even possible?

My bucket list is e-p-i-c, and while I've crossed so many dreams, wishes, and desires off already, and am proud to have met so many goals (many of which were not pain-free), it barely feels as though I've made a dent in my personal to-do list. What's more, I am continuously adding to the aspiration pile. Every day, it seems, another "Yes! Gotta do this!" idea springs forth. I can't stop it--and, frankly, don't want to.

This week, I'll celebrate another year's journey around the sun, and with this birthday--as with all the others--comes contemplation; contemplation about where I've been, where I am now, and where I want to go in the coming 365 days. Part of the birthday process is taking stock of that old bucket list, and making additions, deletions, and tweaks. Some of the things I'd like to move to the top of the list in the next year include:

- Overcoming my fear of public speaking and getting the confidence to work a room- Learning to write fiction- Mastering sewing (thanks, Project Runway, for the incessant inspiration!), so I can bring my sartorial dreams to life- Moving past the 10-minute mark in my morning meditation practice- Visiting Sri Lanka

​There are many, many, MANY more things I want to do, see, accomplish, improve, try, and master. I hope I'll have the chance to do like my friend did and cross each of those items off, but I know there'll always be something new to replace the "done" items.

How about you? What dreams are you burning with desire to fulfill? What do you want to learn? To see? To experience? If you're so inclined, please share!

Never have I felt more worthy of a vacation than the one I just returned from. The previous few months were a blur of nose-to-the-grindstone days and late nights, consumed by multiple work-related deadlines, the heartbreak of a couple of deaths in the family, and the usual everyday stresses of life. Once I’d met my last deadline, I’d promised myself a vacation to my “happy place”—otherwise known as anywhere that’s hot, humid, and close to the sea. Like writer Heather Goodspeed-Walter suggests in her Rewilding story, we can all benefit from the healing power of the outdoors, and I was definitely overdue for some quality nature time. After debating between India and Thailand, I settled on the latter because I knew it would easy (no visas!), that the food would be divine (coconut curry, 24/7!), and it ticked all the “happy” boxes.

On departure day, I was relaxed and ready to roll. I knew I deserved this trip—and the daily massages I was about to indulge in—and I was also utterly lacking in pre-flight anxiety because my low-maintenance travel style supports easy, fluid mobility.

For me, successful travel begins and ends with the bag: As you can see, I travel light! Tucked inside that one little carry-on bag (A fabulous Parisian thrift-store find) are all the necessities for a fun-in-the-sun holiday. Specifically,

In my purse, I carried my Kindle, a small notebook, passport, pen, wallet, glasses, sunglasses, and a toothbrush. Sounds like a lot, right? It was! In fact, each time someone made a comment about how light I was traveling, my immediate response was “I’m actually carrying more than I’d like!” Next time, I’ll pare it down by eliminating the extra dress, ditching the belt (I can use the scarf to cinch in my waist if need be), and maybe carrying just one notebook instead of three.

What does your packing situation look like for an average vacation? Do you stuff a suitcase on wheels or load up a backpack? What are some of the indispensible items you carry with you when you ship off? And most importantly, where are you spending your next vacation? Please share!

It was not something I always wanted to do. Just the opposite, in fact! A yoga retreat, while appealing for obvious reasons—including the opportunity to shape up and feel good on a warm and sunny Mediterranean island—seemed like a scary proposition, which is why I put it off for so long. Was I really capable of doing 4.5 hours of downward dogs, warrior poses, and headstands each day? I honestly didn't think so, but turns out that I was. Besides toning up, losing a bit of excess flab, and eating three delicious vegan meals each day prepared by a private chef, saying yes to something I wanted to try but was frightened of allowed me to push through a mental boundary that said “you could never do that!”

Setting goals, big or small, and ultimately crossing them off our lists once we’ve completed them is actually one of life’s great joys. Each goal we reach is a personal affirmation that we are capable and powerful and it gives us a confidence boost. Plus, life is too short to postpone things we really want to experience.

What are some of the things on your dare-to-dream list you’d like to tick off? Would you like to run a marathon or train for a triathlon? Attend a writer’s retreat like this one run by author Joyce Maynard? Maybe you dream of starting your own catering company, or traveling to Varanasi, India, and taking a dip in the Ganges. Wherever your dreams and fear collide, I encourage you to push through and make it happen. Opportunities for growth—and, more importantly, opportunities for fun—await you!

I was just getting up to leave my sunny spot at a café on the island of Ibiza in Spain when Anthony, a crusty, middle-aged Englishman who didn't wait for an invitation to have a seat at my table, nonchalantly threw out the query.

“Interesting you should ask,” I replied, stuffing my Moleskine notebook and pen into my bag. “I’ve been looking for someone to interview who’s tried it, but haven’t found anyone yet.”

Ayahuasca, a plant from the Amazonian rainforest, has come into vogue lately as a sort of psychedelic healing tool. Today, you can find rituals organized in places like LA and even the Midwest, and “sacred plant retreats” run by Americans and Europeans that bring people to Peru to experience the drug in a supervised setting.

Proponents say that one five-to-six hour “trip” that follows after sipping tea made from its leaves is roughly equivalent to a decade of psychotherapy, but indigenous South Americans have used it for ages in spiritual rituals and as a cure for myriad ailments.

“Take my number and call me. We do the ceremonies in a teepee up on the hill,” said Anthony, waving a finger in the general direction beyond and above my head. “It’s invite only, and I’m inviting you.” Intrigued, but knowing good and well I wouldn’t be calling him, I offered a sincere thank you and headed back to my Airbnb digs.

Why not take him up on his offer? Well, I didn’t get the spiritual vibe off this fellow that I had associated with the ancient herb and its sacred rituals. I still want to interview someone who’s experienced it (and maybe even give it a whirl myself!), but I want the connection to be made in the spirit of enlightenment-seeking and not just getting high for getting-high’s sake. (And sorry, Anthony, if you happen to be reading this and I read you wrong!)

Have you or would you ever try ayahuasca? Do you know someone who has? If so, I’d to hear from you! Send me a note at aurelia@swellmagazine.com.

I just watched an oldie-but-really goodie: An interview with Chip Conley on Jonathan Fields’ The Good Life Project. Fields sat down with the Joie de Vivre founder/author/lecturer to talk shop about finding joy in life, chasing dreams, and attending festivals around the world. Festivals? Chip Conley is in his 50s! I honestly never considered that that demographic might be the festival type. But as he spoke about burning out on his hospitality- empire career and looking for new meaning (which came to him in a serendipitous, haphazard way, during an audience Q & A after one of his lectures), I started to get it.

Conley's stroke-of-genius idea? Become the world’s leading authority on something dear to his heart: Festivals. Yes, we’re talking Burning Man, but also the Kumbh Mela (a hindu spiritual festival) and EDM festivals (electronic music fests). I loved the way he drew connections between festivals and connecting with a greater good, connecting with people and different cultures, and how it can help shape a great life.

Have you ever been on a pilgrimage or attended a festival that lifted your spirit? I'd love to hear about it!

Well, hello!

I'm Aurelia, creative director here at Swell! This is my space for sharing thoughts and ideas with readers on more topics dear to my heart: Travel, wellness, veganism, and style, and living creatively and compassionately.